Precision surface soluions Lapmaster Wolters

swiftly followed by the establishment of a joint venture with the Mattex Group of South Africa, the region’s market leader. Following major investments in new technology, DesleeMattex has become an important part of the DesleeClama Group.

These modern facilities offer easy reach to populations where the company knows that interest in the quality of sleep is rising. The stated goal of the DesleeClama Group is to “create a company that is the world’s strongest provider of textiles to the mattress Industry”. Value-added solutions

Today DesleeClama offers a wide range of standard and performance fabrics, such as ‘sound absorbing’ and ‘smart cover’ that won the ‘Intelligent Material & Design awards at Interzum last year. Its long-standing relationships with key suppliers, including Fresche Bioscience pty Ltd and Tanatex chemicals BV, ensure it is able to offer the highest levels of quality and service. DesleeClama’s new design studios and showrooms allow manufacturers to work collaboratively with designers on-site. “We want to offer full solutions to our customers” says Eric Delaby, VP of sales in North America. “We’re known as an innovation company with a wide range of finishes and performance yarns, but we also want to reposition ourselves as a design company.”

“To underscore its commitment to be a design company with focus on the creation of value-added, innovative fabrics, the company established its own Innovation and Design Centre (or IDC), as part of an important new strategy for growth.

“We recently launched the bed of the future and showcased a bed that uses textiles that do not stain, are sound absorbing and offer light therapy and gentle massage. We even have a bed that will help you to wake up in the best possible way. In addition, we have invested in new knitted fabrics that due to their new construction provide better stretch and recovery. Furthermore, we have developed temperature-controlling fabrics, which help to increase blood circulation and a fabric that reduces static electricity, without the need for grounding.”

Ducatteeuw added, “We are focussed on organic, internal growth following many years of investment in new plants and technology. The main investment in the foreseeable future will be focussed on the addition of new machines and technology. We are also taking care of the environment through our use of greener, recyclable products and eco-finishing processes. In the past we relied upon water for finishing our fabrics but today we have adopted a 100 per cent dry system and use solar panels and alternative energy sources throughout our manufacturing processes.”

Innovation driving sales

The company’s goal is to double its sales by the year 2017 and says that if it is possible to achieve that objective with its existing infrastructure, that will be fine but if it is necessary to add another facility then the company will do that or whatever it takes. DesleeClama is relying on innovation to fuel its future growth. “Five years ago, innovative products contributed 20 per cent to our total annual sales,” explains Hans Dewaele Co-CEO at DesleeClama. “Now it’s closer to 40 per cent.

“There is a conservative perspective in the mattress industry, but that’s changing. More and more people understand that innovation is driving our business. We now have customers asking for first right of refusal or asking to preview new fabrics before important trade shows.”

With a clear vision of its development strategy and its state-of-the-art facilities to deliver on its promises, DesleeClama looks set to achieve its ambitious goals for growth. n

For further details of DesleeClama products and design services visit: www.desleeclama.com

PRECISION SURFACE SOLUTIONS

Lapmaster Wolters is a world leader in precision surface solutions. Industry Europe reports on recent developments at the company.

Until 2014, Lapmaster Wolters was known as ‘Peter Wolters’. Its acquisition this year by the Lapmaster Group has brought it not only a name change but an entirely new lease of life. Already active through subsidiaries in the US, Asia and Europe, the company is now poised for even further expansion. The headquarters of Lapmaster Wolters today are in Rendsburg, where the main production facility is located.

The company serves a huge range of industry sectors with its precision surface solutions – from silicon and sapphire wafer manufacturing, automotive, medical, aerospace and transportation to alternative energies and every type of heavy industry.

Looking back

The company began when Johann Peter Wolters started making carding machines in the little house Schlickum, in Mettmann, in 1804. Peter Wolters continually grew over the years and started its own construction and tooling department in the 1940s.

Over the years, the shape and nature of the business has changed but the company’s